Henderson isn't LA - and local business owners, concerned about a recent spike in bad behaviour, want to make sure it stays that way. Holly Reid reports
Shops and fast-food places in Henderson are being urged not to serve school students during daylight hours.
About 20 members of the Henderson Business Group
are working with police, schools, the council and Maori wardens to crack down on truants.
They want to get youngsters off the street and back into class.
Moka restaurant owner Eric Harmon, who chairs the business group, says a recent spike in bad behaviour prompted the action.
``It is a bunch of punks trying to look like they're gangsters from LA or somewhere like that. They'd find, if they actually went there, they'd get eaten alive,'' says Eric, who used to live in Miami.
``There are occasional scuffles between some of the schools and a bit of school rivalry. They are the types of problems that need to be stopped now.''
Business owners object to youths loitering in the central business district during and after school hours. They're aiming to attack the problem from all sides by working with major community groups.
``Our goal is not to chase them away but to keep them in the system so you don't have that drop-out rate,'' says Eric.
He helps work towards that by providing work experience for students at his restaurant through the school Gateway programme.
``We're prepared to do anything that will work,'' adds United Travel Henderson owner Terry Hodges.
``We want to work with the schools and any other groups around to give the kids an incentive to stay at school, rather than see them hauled back to school by a truancy officer when they don't want to be there.''
Terry admits a hardline approach could backfire, but businesses will have more chance of tackling chronic truancy as a united group.
Key to the crackdown will be enlisting mall shopkeepers to refuse service rather than focusing on profit.
Brendan Stewart, the acting sergeant in charge of Waitakere community police, says police are right behind the initiative.
``I think it is a very positive step between businesses at trying to address some of the problems because there's a definite link between truancy and crime.''
Police have recently boosted their presence and numbers in the CBD over the past couple of months.
They name problem areas as Catherine St and Railside Ave.
Five more officers will join the CBD beat this week.
Henderson isn't LA - and local business owners, concerned about a recent spike in bad behaviour, want to make sure it stays that way. Holly Reid reports
Shops and fast-food places in Henderson are being urged not to serve school students during daylight hours.
About 20 members of the Henderson Business Group
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